• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A day after the May 12 elections, the Commission on Elections in Negros Occidental has proclaimed eight provincial officials, 31 mayors, and four winning candidates for the House of Representatives, as of 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson won his reelection bid for a third and final term, along with his running mate, Board Member Jose Benito Alonso, who was also proclaimed the winner in the vice gubernatorial race.
Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer were proclaimed winners for the 3rd and 4th district congressional seats, while 5th district Representative Emilio Bernardino Yulo and 6th district Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, were also reelected as members of the House of Representatives.
Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (2nd district, Negros Occidental), who ran unopposed, is slated to be proclaimed on May 14, while returning Rep. Julio Ledesma IV will follow suit on May 15, according to Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria.
Proclaimed also were Board Members Sixto Pal Guanzon (2nd district), Andrew Montelibano and Bambi Depasucat (3rd district), Nicholas Yulo and Paula Alonso (4th district), Hadji Trujillo (5th district), and Ralph Alvarez (6th district).
Winners in the mayoral races included Renato Gustilo – San Carlos City, Bebe Era – Calatrava, Richard Jaojoco – Toboso, Melecio Yap – Escalante City, Nonoy de la Cruz Jr – Don Salvador Benedicto, Rafael Leo Cueva – Sagay City, Salvador Escalante Jr. – Cadiz City, Mika Escalante – Manapla, Abelardo Bantug III – Victorias City, Matthew Louis Malacon – EB Magalona;
Joedith Gallego – Silay City, Rowena Lopez Lizares – Talisay City, Gerardo Rojas – Murcia, Mayette Javellana – Bago City, Miguel Peña – Pulupandan, Ricardo Presbitero – Valladolid, Jilson Tubillara – San Enrique, Jose Maria Alonso – Pontevedra, Joelu Jalandoni – La Carlota;
Mary Grace Arceo – Hinigaran, Emmanuel Aranda – Binalbagan, Raymond Tongson – Himamaylan City; Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo – Moises Padilla, Anejo Nicor – La Castellana, Miguel Angelo Yulo – Isabela;
Benjie Miranda – Kabankalan City; Paul Alvarez – Ilog; John Rey Tabujara – Cauayan; Ray Ruiz – Candoni; Gina Montilla Lizares – Sipalay City; and Daph Reliquias of Hinobaan.
Other winning board members, including Marxlen de la Cruz and Araceli Somosa (1st district), Arthur Christopher Marañon (2nd district), Rita Gatuslao (5th district), and Jeffrey Tubola (6th district), expect to be proclaimed either today, or Thursday.
With the proclamation of winning candidates, Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec regional director for Negros Island Region, called on all candidates who participated in the elections, whether they won or lost, to set aside the division and personal differences.
Let us choose cooperation over conflict, meaningful conversations instead of being disgruntled for personal interest, and progress over partisanship or partiality, Castillano said.*
